Portland Umbrella Festival Celebrates the Bohemian Arts

The inaugural Umbrella Festival honors the traveling lives of hobos, gypsies, vagabonds, troubadours and wanderers through a variety of amazing acts. Expect to see a mix of circus feats, racy burlesque, comedy and vaudeville during this three-day extravaganza. From the opening night celebration of road folks to streetlight and nightclub frenzy on night two to the big-top blowout with Portland's own Wanderlust Circus Orchestra on the final night, there promises to be something for everybody. Read the full event description for a lineup of all three nights' events.

Reviews & Ratings

I love the concept of this event. It did not quite meet my expetations but that was only due to unforseen circumstances and they had to make last min. adjustments to the agenda. All in all it was a fun evening. It was open for children but nudity was not quite appropriate for the kids.

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Quotes & Highlights

Description

*April 6, 2012: Night One – “The Road”

*The opening night is a celebration of the road – hobos, gypsies, vagabonds, troubadours and wanderers – featuring the music of Portland’s own Vagabond Opera and Professor Gall, accompanied by the finest in circus, burlesque and vaudeville. Tears of Joy Puppet Theatre will also be doing a special performance.

*April 7, 2012: Night Two – “The City”

*Night two celebrates life in the city – from the alleyways of Paris to the banks of the Thames to the buzzing streetlights and nightclubs of New York. Portland swingtime supergroup The Stolen Sweets, Strangled Darlings and Boy & Bean provide the music, accompanied by the finest in dance, burlesque and vaudeville.

*April 8, 2012: Night Three – “The Big Top”

*The final night of the first annual Umbrella Festival takes us under the big top. Carnies, freaks, geeks, feats of incredible strength and beauty erase the dull drudgery of our workaday existence and transport us into a fantasy land where anything is possible. Portland’s own Wanderlust Circus Orchestra, Hurqalya (formerly Negara), and Aeon Now provide the music, accompanied by acrobats, sword swallowers, and vaudevillians of all stripes.